RADFORD, Va. – Ron Peterson Jr. is a best-selling author known for his true crime books, and one of them is about to hit the big screen.
Peterson’s book “Under the Trestle,” takes a deep dive into the Gina Renee Hall murder case, grabbing the attention of director Scott Mactavish soon after it came out.
“When I learned of the book, from my mom, who worked at Radford University, I read it right away, and then I purchased the rights from Rn, because it needed to be made into a movie,” said Mactavish.
Peterson was recently visiting Radford University to work on the upcoming documentary film based on his book, which recounts the death of Radford freshman Gina Renee Hall and the murder conviction of Virginia Tech football player Stephen Epperly.
“Under the Trestle, which covered a local case here: the 1980 disappearance of Radford University student Gina Hall and Virginia’s first no-body murder trial,” said Peterson.
Despite the crime happening more than 40 years ago, the story still resonates with many in the area.
“There were a lot of people that cared deeply about her, she was the kind of daughter, the kind of friend that anyone would like,” Peterson said. “And then also the killer, Stephen Epperly, a lot of people think that that guy was the devil, some of the stories that we’ve heard and that I’ve heard writing the book about him.
Peterson attended Radford University and the story hits home with Mactavish as well.
“I built my career in New York City. But I was born and raised in Pulaski. I was a freshman in high school when Gina Renee Hall was murdered by Stephen Epperly,” Mactavish said.
Now they’re teaming up to retell her story with the people who were closest to the case and the locations where it all took place, not just under the trestle.